London, October 5, 2025 - Erling Haaland's early goal proved enough for Manchester City to secure a 1-0 victory against a resilient Brentford side, handing Pep Guardiola his 250th Premier League win in record time. The Norwegian striker's ninth-minute strike was the difference in a tightly contested match at the Gtech Community Stadium, as City moved up to fifth in the league standings.
The game started brightly for the visitors, with Haaland continuing his remarkable scoring form. Josko Gvardiol, for the second consecutive game, provided the assist, dinking a ball through midfield that found Haaland, who then shrugged off Sepp van den Berg's challenge before slotting the ball past Brentford's goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher. The goal was Haaland's 12th in nine appearances across all competitions this season. It also marked the 22nd different Premier League stadium at which Haaland has scored, leaving only Anfield as the ground where he is yet to find the net.
Despite the early goal, City's dominance in the first half didn't translate into further goals. Phil Foden and Tijjani Reijnders both came close, with Kelleher making a fine save to deny Reijnders' volley. However, City suffered a blow when Rodri was forced off with an apparent hamstring injury in the 22nd minute.
Brentford, who had defeated Manchester United the previous weekend, struggled to create chances in the first half, failing to register a single touch in City's box. However, the second half saw a spirited response from the home side. Igor Thiago had a good opportunity to equalize, but his effort was smothered by City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.
City managed to weather the storm, with their defense holding firm to secure the victory. The win marked Guardiola's 250th in the Premier League in just 349 games, making him the fastest manager to reach the milestone, surpassing Sir Alex Ferguson's previous record of 404 games.
Guardiola acknowledged the significance of the achievement, expressing his delight at joining the ranks of legendary managers such as Ferguson and Arsène Wenger. He revealed plans to celebrate the milestone with a dinner alongside the two managerial icons.
Brentford manager Keith Andrews, while disappointed with the result, praised his team's second-half performance and their ability to restrict City to few clear-cut chances. Brentford captain Nathan Collins also shared his thoughts following the Bees’ defeat against City.
Haaland, reflecting on his form, stated he has never felt better and confirmed that he is currently in the best form of his life. He has scored in nine consecutive matches for club and country.
The victory moves Manchester City to within three points of league leaders Arsenal, heading into the international break. City now look ahead to their next fixture against Everton on October 18. Meanwhile, Brentford, who sit in 16th place, will aim to bounce back after the international break.
